


work equals force times displacement

by summergrass



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2018-09-26 04:44:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 18,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9863438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summergrass/pseuds/summergrass
Summary: You're failing physics, but lucky for you, the guy sitting next to you is not only cute but also acing the class.(Or, the high school romcom no one asked for.)





	1. "i am an utter fool"

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't played any of the fe games but for some reason i decided to download fe:h and i love alfonse and also alfonse/kiran so i figured the only way i could write alfonse/kiran fic considering i don't know anything about fire emblem is if i wrote an au lol

When the teacher says you can begin, you flip over the test and pray it's mostly projectile motion because that's what you crammed for the most. As you lay your eyes on the first question and see the words “tension” and “friction,” however, you slowly put down your pen, close your eyes, clasp your hands together, and think, _Ah, I'm not going to get more than 50%_. Nevertheless, you give it your best shot, and one week later you discreetly take out your red pen to turn the 30 into an 80 before showing the score to your mother. After you failed the last test, she had demanded better results for the next one, and you didn't want to incur her wrath.

Unfortunately, your mother is observant and can see the difference between a felt tip pen and ballpoint pen, so now you've got three days to find a tutor or she will talk to the teacher personally about seeing that you get extra help, and no one needs that much embarrassment at your age. So, when you walk into class and plop into your seat, you lazily scan the room, looking for someone who looks like they know what they're doing.

You've never really paid much attention to the guy sitting next to you, but when he flips open his binder and you see the big red 100 on the same exam that you just failed, you take an immediate interest.

You turn to face him and put your elbow on your desk so you can rest your head in your hand in what you think is a cool pose, but you don’t realize you pressed your elbow against your pencil, so not only do you now have a sore elbow, but said elbow, having rolled over your pencil and slid across your desk, has caused your head to fall and slam against your desk in what could not have been a more embarrassing course of events.

The guy, bless his soul, doesn’t laugh at you but instead asks, “Um, are you okay?”

You resist the urge to sprint across the room, open the window, and jump out. “Um, yeah, I just--uh, yeah.” You were never known for eloquence. “I bruised my ego more than anything else, haha.”

He smiles. “That’s good.” He goes back to getting out his pen to take notes but pauses. He turns back to you. “We’ve been sitting next to each other for five weeks but haven’t ever spoken to each other. My name is Alfonse. What’s yours?”

You’re still recovering from the attack on your heart from his unexpectedly dazzling smile. “I--uh--I’m Kiran.” You pull the edge of your hood further over your head.

“Nice to meet you, Kiran,” Alfonse responds with another smile. He glances to the front of the classroom, but the teacher still hasn’t arrived yet. “What do you think of this class so far?”

You grimace. “Uh, it’s--it’s something.”

Alfonse laughs, and you’re briefly alarmed by the way you go breathless. You’re preoccupied with going over the signs of a heart attack and making sure you’re not having one, so you don’t hear the first part of what Alfonse is saying. You try to pretend you were listening all along, though, so you nod and say, “Yeah, totally.”

Alfonse’s smile widens. “I’m glad someone else enjoys physics as much as I do!”

You kind of wish you had just slammed your head again instead of saying anything. “I--uh--yeah! Physics is great! I love it!” You twirl the string of your hoodie between your fingers. “But, uh, it sure doesn’t love me, haha.”

“Oh, are you having a hard time?” Alfonse asks. “It might be presumptuous of me to ask, but if you’re struggling with any of the concepts, I could try explaining them to you?”

You take a moment to thank the gods above for giving you this opportunity. “Yes! I’ve actually been looking for a tutor, so this is perfect! Thank you so much!” You clasp his hands in yours. “You really saved me!”

“O-Oh! It’s--It’s no big deal,” Alfonse says, looking away. “Ah, it looks like class is starting,” he murmurs, gently pulling his hands away and turning to face the front.

For once, you spend the entire period in a pleasant mood.


	2. "i'm so embarrassed"

After class you exchange contact information and decide to meet up after school in front of the library. You briefly wonder if you should have thought things through. After all, just because Alfonse got an A on the last test, it doesn't mean he would make a good tutor. For example, your teacher seems like a physics genius, but her explanations are so fast that you gave up paying attention in class and actually started reading from the textbook. You haven't had to do that since your AP Bio class, and that was truly a nightmare.

You snap out of your thoughts when you hear footsteps and look up to see Alfonse. Gosh, now that you're getting a better look at him, he's really good looking. You take a moment to mentally smack away your rising bashfulness because now is not the time to be swooning over your classmate.

“Hello, Kiran! I hope you weren't waiting long?” Alfonse says, and the part of you that still isn't done swooning takes note that he's not only cute, but thoughtful too.

“Oh, no, I just got here too,” you assure him with an awkward smile. “Well, uh, I guess--uh, should we go inside?” You want to punch yourself because of course you should go inside, what a stupid question to ask him.

Alfonse smiles. “Yes, I think we should,” he replies, opening the door for you.

A silly part of you wants to cry at what a good man he is, but instead you nod and go inside, sitting at the first empty table you find. Alfonse takes a seat next to you, and while you get out your notebook and a pen, he pulls out the physics textbook and opens it to the chapter your class is currently going through.

“So, where should we begin?” Alfonse asks, and you almost laugh because he thinks you're doing well enough not to need to start at the first chapter.

To save face, you don't tell him that you still have trouble with vector addition and instead say, “Oh, uh, actually, could we review Newton’s laws? Just to, er, warm up? Yeah.”

“Oh! Sure, we can do that,” he says, flipping back a few chapters. His fingers slide down the page as he looks for a suitable practice problem, and you start to panic as he passes over the simple example problems and goes to the more difficult homework problems. His hand stops over one asking about the speed of a block when it reaches the bottom of an incline. “Here's a simple one! Why don't we try this first?”

Your pencil hovers over your scratch paper as you stare at the problem. It shouldn't be that difficult, but you're at a loss for what to do because you stopped understanding physics after the first week of class. Your teacher always said that when in doubt, draw the free-body diagram first. So that's what you do.

When two minutes pass and you still haven't done anything past drawing the forces acting on the block, Alfonse gently nudges you along by asking, “So, what are the formulas you're going to be using?”

You start sweating. “Um…F=ma…?” That seemed like a safe answer, since you remember your teacher using that formula most of the time.

“Sort of,” Alfonse says, and you feel like screaming because you were so close to proving that you're not an idiot. “The problem doesn't mention an external force acting on the object, so you can't really use the formula in that form. But you're sort of on the right track. You can find velocity from acceleration, so how would you find acceleration here? You need to replace F with the variables that make up the force acting on the object. So what would F equal? Look at your free-body diagram. The block is on a slope, right? So what would you do with the angle?”

You're touched that Alfonse has enough faith in you to assume you can figure out his question, but you're also getting even more nervous as you sit and stare at the problem and can't think of anything.

“So,” Alfonse says gently, “if we look at your free-body diagram, we know that gravity is acting on the block. The force of gravity is mg, so we would set mg equal to ma. However, the block is on an incline, so we have to include sin(x). So your equation would be mgsin(x)=ma. The mass will cancel out on both sides, and now you have an equation for acceleration. Now, what other formula do you need so you can find velocity?”

You have to stop yourself from wheezing as you try to absorb everything Alfonse just said. There's another formula you have to use? You try to remember formulas using both velocity and acceleration, but you can only think of the equations of motion, which aren't helpful because they use too many unknowns for this problem.

When you've been still for too long, Alfonse gently pulls your pencil out of your hand and writes the formula v^2=2as on your paper. “There's a specific formula for this, and we hardly ever use this formula in class, so I don't blame you for forgetting it, haha.” He hands your pencil back to you. “But actually, can you recognize it? It's from one of the equations for motion. Since the block starts at rest, initial velocity is zero, so you just get velocity squared equals two times the acceleration times displacement. So really, you don't need to learn a whole new formula. It just looks different because they changed the variable for displacement from delta x to s, and there's no initial velocity. You just have to remember that if the problem says, ‘starts at rest,’ it means the initial velocity is zero.”

You want to slam your head against the table in frustration because the reason why you didn't think you could use the equation was because you didn't know what initial velocity was. When you look at it, this problem should have been one you could do by yourself if you could just find a way to connect the dots. “You make everything seem so easy,” you mumble as you begin to work through the math.

Alfonse laughs, and you think the stress from figuring out this problem was worth it because you've never heard such a pleasant laugh before. “It just takes practice. When you do a lot of problems, you get faster at being able to look at a problem and immediately recognize what formulas to use and how to set up the problem. The important thing is understanding the concepts, and you seem to understand them since you followed my explanations easily. You just need practice solving some problems. Instead of doing just the homework problems, it might help to go through the rest of the exercises in the chapter, or at least the ones you think you might have trouble with. One of the problems on the last test was actually taken straight from the practice problems at the end of the chapter.”

You feel like lying down just from the idea of doing even more physics than you need to, but you know it's good advice, so you smile at Alfonse and say, “Thanks, I'll try that.”

Alfonse opens his mouth to say something, but his phone buzzes. “Ah, sorry,” he mumbles, unlocking his phone and reading the text. “I--what?” Alfonse mutters to himself, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. You watch him look around until his eyes stop on a blond girl a few tables away.

The girl waves and shoots a wide grin not only at Alfonse but also at you. She gives Alfonse a thumbs up and winks, and when you look at Alfonse for his response, you're startled by how red his face is. Alfonse turns to you, not quite meeting your eyes, and says awkwardly, “Ah, uh, I'll be right back. Could you work on the next problem in the meantime?” He stands and briskly walks to the girl, who winks at you before turning to talk to Alfonse.

You're curious about who she is, but Alfonse told you to work on the next problem, so you try to focus. When you see that the problem asks you what magnitude of force is needed to push an incline so that the block remains in a fixed position relative to the incline, your eyes glaze over, and you decide to watch Alfonse and the girl after all.

Alfonse's face is still red, and you think it's cute that he could get so flustered. The girl says something that makes Alfonse blush harder and frown. She laughs, and then she looks over at you. You're embarrassed that you were caught staring, but she simply smiles and waves you over. You tentatively walk towards her table.

“Hi! Are you Alfonse's friend? I'm Sharena, his little sister! Nice to meet you!” She puts out her hand for you to shake, so you shake her hand.

“Uh--I'm Kiran,” you say. How should you introduce yourself? You just starting talking to Alfonse today, so you're not sure if you can really call him a friend. “I'm, um, Alfonse's classmate. Nice to meet you.”

Sharena grins. “Well,” she says as she stands up, “I'm sorry to interrupt your little study date. I just wanted to say hi to my brother before going to work on a group project.” She pulls out her phone. “Any friend of my brother is a friend of mine! Can we exchange numbers?”

You're still too busy trying not to blush from Sharena calling this thing with Alfonse a date to correct her about being Alfonse's friend. “Uh, sure,” you say without thinking, and by the time you realize what you said, she's already cheering. You would feel bad taking back what you said, so you hand her your phone to input her number.

After Sharena texts herself to get your number, she hands back your phone. “Thanks! It was nice meeting you, Kiran! Have fun with my brother!” She walks away, and you feel dizzy from everything that happened in the past five minutes.

“Um, sorry if my sister made you disoriented or anything,” Alfonse says sheepishly. “She loves making friends.”

“That's okay,” you assure him. “She seems nice.” Your phone buzzes.

[3:44 pm]  
hey kiran!! just wanted to let you know that you two are super obvious!! treat my brother well ok!! ;)

You put your face in your hands and ignore Alfonse asking if you're all right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i spent fifteen minutes trying to figure out how i should format text messages and as i was typing this chapter i thought "is this still a teenage romcom or is this turning into a "How to Physics with Alfonse" fic" lol i'll try to tone it down from now on


	3. "i'm so bad at this"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for the text conversations, sharena's texts are normal and kiran's are **bold**

Your eyes start to hurt as you stare at the same problem for fifteen minutes. You have absolutely no idea how to even set it up, and you're tempted to just look up a solution online, but then you think of Alfonse, and you know he'd want you to try your best. So instead you sigh and flip through the examples in the textbook, hoping there was something you missed that would give you a hint about how to solve it. You look at a particular example that was included almost like an afterthought at the end of the section, and it has a figure similar to the one for your problem. A rush of excitement flows through you as you copy the free-body diagram. Unfortunately, the example is looking for the friction coefficient, but your problem is asking for the net force. You groan and rest your head on your desk, wondering if you'll ever finish this. Your phone buzzes, and when you tilt the screen towards you, you see that it's Sharena. You can't believe it's only been a week since you exchanged numbers with Sharena and she already feels comfortable enough to text you at two in the morning.

[2:03 am]  
hey kiran are you awake

You debate on whether or not you should respond, but it's going to be at least another hour before you finish your homework, so you might as well.

[2:05 am]  
 **yeah this hw is killing me, why did i take physics when i could've just had a short schedule this year**

[2:06 am]  
but at least now you get to flirt with my brother lol

Your cheeks heat up, and you think about not responding, but when you look at your half-finished problem you sigh and turn back to your phone.

[2:08 am]  
 **i do not do that**

[2:09 am]  
but you want to

[2:09 am]  
 **sharena pls**  
 **anyway why are you texting me at 2am**

[2:12 am]  
oh right, starting tomorrow alfonse has to start babysitting our neighbor’s kids so he can't stay after school to tutor you anymore so you two need to come up with a new schedule

[2:13 am]  
 **thanks for letting me know but why did you need to tell me this at 2am**

[2:15 am]  
bc i figured you’d probably be awake and also bc i thought you’d want some time to fantasize

[2:16 am]  
 **fantasize?**

[2:16 am]  
about getting to come over and spend time with alfonse in his own house

[2:17 am]  
 **why would i come over! why would i fantasize about that?!**

[2:18 am]  
this is the perfect opportunity to come over!! come over on the weekends and woo alfonse in his own house!!

You yelp and almost drop your phone in embarrassment. Your face feels like it's melting as you type a response.

[2:21 am]  
 **i have no intentions to woo your brother!**

[2:22 am]  
you say that but every time i see you two together you're making lovestruck faces at him

You really do drop your phone this time, and when you crawl under your desk to pick it up, you hit your head. You take a moment to wonder what you did to deserve this, but get back in your seat and respond anyway.

[2:24 am]  
 **i do not make faces**

[2:24 am]  
whatever just ask if you can come on the weekends

[2:24 am]  
 **no**

You wait a few minutes for a reply, but she doesn't, so you turn back to your homework. You think the idea of coming over to Alfonse's house is ridiculous. You two barely know each other, and it's not like you have no other options.

The following morning, however, Alfonse does suggest that you come over, and you almost want to ask if Sharena put him up to this.

“Are Saturdays at 2 okay?” Alfonse asks as the two of you walk down the hall after physics.

“Sure,” you say, even though you're not even sure if you're okay with this arrangement at all. You need to ask your mom for permission, first of all, and second, you don't even know where his house is. What if it's like an hour away? You know your mom would be willing to drive you that far if it's going to help your grade, but you still feel bad because your mom hates driving, so you'd probably lie and say it's not that far so she wouldn't need to drive you. Then that would mean you'd have to take the bus, so then you'd have to check the bus schedule, and it just seems like a big hassle. And in the end, is it really okay to just casually come to the house of a classmate you barely know?

Alfonse pulls you out of your thoughts by handing you a folded piece of paper. “Here's my address! See you tomorrow!” he says as you both come to a stop at the stairs. He smiles and waves before going up the stairs to his next class.

You sigh, stuff the paper in your pocket, and rush downstairs to your own class as the bell starts to ring. Your next class is cooking, and the only reason you're taking it is because your counselor said you needed a year of applied technology. You're too clumsy for woodshop, and the only computer class your school offers is one semester long and apparently super easy, so you figure you should take it next semester so you can focus on cramming for the AP exams.

As you make it into your seat just as the teacher begins taking attendance, you pull out the piece of paper to check where Alfonse lives. Luckily, Alfonse's house is actually nearby. You could probably walk there if you wanted to, and you're wondering if there's some otherworldly power making things way too convenient for you. What's the likelihood of the person sitting next to you in physics not only being good at it but also being kind enough to teach you? And somehow he's living close enough that you can come over to his house on the weekends to study? You're just waiting for something bad to happen because chances are karma just made a mistake in giving you all this luck, and it's going to want to balance things out by making you suffer later.

You shake the negative thoughts out of your head as you listen to the teacher go over the latest recipe you'll be following.

In the evening when your mother gets home, you tell her that your tutoring sessions have been moved to the weekends at Alfonse's house, and before she has a chance to offer to drive you there, you quickly add that she shouldn't worry because his house is within walking distance. But the possibility of her offering to drive isn't what you should have worried about, because your mother excitedly asks if this means you could ask Alfonse to make your tutoring sessions even longer. You shrug awkwardly.

“I don't know, I mean it's already generous of him to tutor me since I'm not even paying him…”

“Then pay him! I'll give you the money! It doesn't hurt to ask, does it? I just want what's best for you,” your mother responds, and you wish your mother wasn't so eager to help you because now you feel like you can't refuse.

“O-Okay,” you mumble. “I'll tell him tomorrow.”

“Why don't you ask right now? Text him now so he has time to think about it,” your mom insists.

“But I don't even have his number!” you say, relieved that you have an excuse. Then you can just pretend to forget to ask him tomorrow, and then it'd be Friday, and you can tell your mother it'd be rude to spring the question on him last minute. Problem solved.

“Really? You have absolutely no way to contact him?” your mother says, and because of her phrasing and because you love your mother, you sigh.

“Well, I…have his sister's number,” you say sheepishly.

“Why do you have his sister's number but not his? Ah, whatever, then ask her to ask him. And get his number, too, so you don't keep bothering his sister.” Your mother watches you with her hands on her hips, waiting for you to text Sharena.

You sigh again and take out your phone.

[5:43 pm]  
 **hey sharena**  
 **could you ask alfonse if we could study for 2 hours instead of 1**

[5:47 pm]  
lol you're so eager to spend more time with him

You try to keep a stoic face in front of your mom, but your ears feel warm.

[5:48 pm]  
 **IT'S MY MOTHER OK**  
 **she wants me to spend as much time studying as possible**

[5:49 pm]  
i’m glad your mom approves of your relationship too

[5:49 pm]  
 **SHARENA PLEASE**

[5:51 pm]  
lol yeah ok i'll tell him, he'll probably say yes

[5:51 pm]  
 **thanks**

[5:53 pm]  
yeah thank me at your wedding

[5:53 pm]  
 **SHARENA IS2G**

You want to put your face in your hands but your mother's still watching you, so instead you put away your phone and say, “She said she'd tell him and that he'd probably say yes.”

“Great! I'm so proud of you, Kiran,” your mother says as she heads upstairs. “After I shower, I'll make dinner, okay?”

You nod, her praise making you feel light and hopeful, and you're in such a good mood that you think maybe the physics homework won't be so bad tonight.

It is, however, even worse than you expected, and you can't wait for the weekend to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like this was really poorly formatted lol i hope this wasn't too difficult to read and i'm hoping after the next chapter there won't be any more physics talk bc i am actually really bad at physics lol i thought choosing physics would help me write kiran's struggles better but all it did was make me paranoid someone who actually knows physics is gonna read this and be like "yo you totally explained this wrong" lol


	4. "why am i like this"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sharena's texts are normal, kiran's texts are **bold** , and alfonse's texts are _italicized_

You wish you could have known the moment you looked out your window this morning and saw the sky was cloudy that today was going to be the worst day of your life. Maybe if you had known ahead of time, you would have brought an umbrella. Or maybe just cancelled on Alfonse and avoided the whole dilemma altogether.

But instead, you chose to have faith in your local weatherman, who said it wouldn’t rain today, and now you’re locked in Alfonse’s bathroom with no change of clothes.

You’re not sure what possessed you to agree when Alfonse saw you soaking wet on his doorstep and insisted you take a shower before you get a cold, but you always seem to make thoughtless decisions when you’re around him. He said he’d get you a change of clothes, but he hasn’t brought them yet and now you’re shivering naked in his shower.

Just as you think you’re going to get a cold anyway at this rate, your phone buzzes. You feel ridiculous, but you pick up your phone and check the text.

[2:21 pm]  
how’s your date with alfonse going

Sharena always seems to have the worst timing when it comes to texting you. But you figure that talking to her will at least pass the time, so you respond.

**[2:22 pm]**  
**it’s not a date**  
**also i’m suffering**

[2:22 pm]  
lol what happened

**[2:24 pm]**  
**i didn’t bring an umbrella and got rained on so alfonse told me to take a shower but now i’m stuck waiting in the bathroom while he gets me a change of clothes**

[2:25 pm]  
LOL KIRAN  
DIDN’T YOU SEE THE SKY  
OF COURSE IT WAS GONNA RAIN

**[2:26 pm]**  
**PLEASE DON’T MAKE FUN OF ME IN MY TIME OF SUFFERING**

[2:27 pm]  
ok sorry

**[2:28 pm]**  
**i’m just wondering why it’s taking him so long, i’m freezing**

[2:29 pm]  
wrap a towel around you

**[2:29 pm]**  
**i did**

[2:30 pm]  
wait did you use the blue one because that’s  
HOLD ON  
KIRAN  
OH MY GOD  


**[2:32 pm]**  
**what**  
**also yeah i used the blue one**

[2:32 pm]  
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT UNDERWEAR  
OH MY GOD  
THAT’S PROBABLY WHAT’S TAKING MY BROTHER SO LONG  
HE PROBABLY DOESN’T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT TO GET YOU UNDERWEAR  
ASD;FJKDK LMAOOO

You manage to muffle your mortified shriek into an embarrassed squeal, but your slightly damp hands fumble with your phone and drop it. When you bend down to pick it up, you hit your head on the sink, and you wonder why you’re always hitting your head when you text Sharena.

**[2:36 pm]**  
**SHARENA WHY**

[2:37 pm]  
my brother is the most awkward person lol he’s even more awkward than you  
do you want me to ask him about this

**[2:38 pm]**  
**PLEASE NO**  
**JUST LET ME SUFFER IN PEACE**  
**WHY DID YOU BRING THIS UP**  
**NOW I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT**

[2:39 pm]  
lol well good luck

You place your phone back on top of your clothes to put your face in your hands and wonder why you’re always making a fool out of yourself. With a sigh, you sit on the edge of the bathtub and stare at your toes. Your face heats up as you think about what Sharena said.

You can’t imagine Alfonse struggling over something like this. The idea of Alfonse wondering whether or not he should get you a change of underwear makes you want to curl up in a corner and die from embarrassment. Surely Alfonse must think you’re more trouble than you’re worth, and he’s probably regretting becoming your tutor. But he’s too nice to just drop you, so he’ll probably just keep tolerating you until you break it off first.

You sigh again. You don’t want to break it off. You like Alfonse, and you want to keep seeing him. You close your eyes and rub your face. Maybe you’re overthinking things again. After all, it’s not like you’re terrible, right? You just caused him a few inconveniences. He seems to like you. He smiles at you a lot, doesn’t he? You smack your face and huff. Yes, this isn’t the end of the world.

Your phone buzzes again, and you almost throw your phone across the room when you see Sharena’s text.

[2:54 pm]  
so are you a briefs guy or boxers guy

**[2:55 pm]**  
**WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME THIS**  
**btw i’m still stuck in the bathroom**

[2:56 pm]  
lol i figured  
i was just wondering

**[2:58 pm]**  
**your sense of personal boundaries is really weird**

[2:59 pm]  
ok but could you answer my question

You’re not sure why you respond, but you figure that Sharena has seen you embarrass yourself enough for your friendship to reach this level of awkward intimacy.

**[3:01 pm]**  
**boxers**  
**i can’t believe i told you this**

[3:02 pm]  
thanks kiran  
i hope you get out soon!! lol

You rest your head against the wall and wonder if you’re going to stay until five now, since one hour has gone and physics hasn’t even crossed your mind until now. Fifteen minutes pass until you finally hear a knock on the door.

“Kiran? Sorry for the wait. I’ve got some clothes for you,” Alfonse says.

You open the door just enough for Alfonse to stick his arm in with a folded set of clothes.

“Th-Thanks,” you mumble, taking the clothes and closing the door. “Sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Oh, no, it was no problem,” Alfonse replies softly. Or maybe it’s just muffled because of the door. “Sorry for making you wait so long. You were probably cold, weren’t you?”

“It’s, uh, okay,” you say, running a hand through your hair awkwardly. “Well, um, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay, well, I’ll go set things up in the living room. I found some practice problems that I thought might help you for the test next week.”

You nod, then remember he can’t see you. You can hear him already walking down the hall, so you focus on putting on the clothes.

As you lift the shirt and see the neatly folded boxers lying on top of the jeans, you let out an embarrassed yell that has Alfonse running to the door and asking if you’re alright.

xx

EXTRA:

[2:40 pm]  
so how are things going bro

_[2:41 pm]_  
_I AM IN A DILEMMA, SHARENA_

[2:41 pm]  
lol what is it

_[2:43 pm]_  
_Kiran got soaked by the rain so I told him to shower and I said I’d give him a change of clothes but then I…_  
_Yeah._

[2:44 pm]  
i like how you think we’re close enough that i can connect the dots just from that but yeah i see your problem  
well it's not like we have unopened packages of underwear lying around and you can't just give him used underwear so let him go commando?

_[2:44 pm]_  
_SHARENA!!!_  
_I got him jeans, I can't just let him not wear underwear since he'd probably get chafed or something_

[2:45 pm]  
lol get him sweatpants then

_[2:45 pm]_  
_Sharena._  
_Sweatpants and no underwear. Do you get the kind of image that would produce?_

[2:46 pm]  
the kind of image that you'd like to see

_[2:46 pm]_  
_SHARENA, I DO NOT NEED THIS RIGHT NOW_

[2:47 pm]  
ok well it's not like you can run to the store and just buy him some brand new undies that's extra af

_[2:49 pm]_  
_Uh_

[2:49 pm]  
YOU'RE ALREADY AT THE STORE AREN'T YOU OMG ALFONSE

_[2:50 pm]_  
_SHARENA_  
_I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT UNDERWEAR TO GET HIM!!! They sell boxers and briefs and I don't know which kind Kiran wears and I don't want to get him the wrong kind because he'll be even more uncomfortable than he probably already is_

[2:52 pm]  
OMG LMAOOOO  
do you want me to ask kiran

_[2:52 pm]_  
_PLEASE DON'T_

_[2:58 pm]_  
_Sharena?_  
_Please respond._  
_Please tell me you didn't ask Kiran._

_[3:02 pm]_  
_SHARENA YOU'RE WORRYING ME_

[3:03 pm]  
it’s boxers

_[3:05 pm]_  
_OHHH MY GODDD_  
_SHARENA!!!_

[3:07 pm]  
you’re welcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i thought there'd be more physics in this chapter but in the end i got too much secondhand embarrassment and tried to end the chapter as soon as possible lol also i spent an embarrassing amount of time thinking about what kind of underwear kiran would wear


	5. "i'm worried"

It’s the Monday after your first test since Alfonse became your tutor, and you’re sweating so bad that you’re tempted to take off your hoodie. You were unsure of your answers for more problems than you would have liked, and the only thing you really have any confidence in is your free body diagrams. The pressure on you is twice as much as the last test, since you risk letting down not only your mother, but Alfonse, too.

When your teacher calls your name, you get up, take your paper, don’t look at it, and place it face down on your desk. You take a deep breath. As long as you tried your best, that’s all that matters, right? That’s what your mother always says. But she also got mad when you got 30% on your last test, and you tried your best on that one. Well, you suppose, there’s a limit to everything. You glance at Alfonse.

He isn’t paying attention to you, and although you’re relieved, you also feel something uncomfortable settle in your stomach. He isn’t worried about you. Does that mean he’s confident in his teaching skills? Or maybe he’s confident in you? That can’t be it. You haven’t done anything to make him have faith in you. Maybe he thought watching you check your score would put too much pressure on you, and he wanted to be considerate and leave you in peace. That seems like something Alfonse would do. You nod, settling on this assumption.

After another deep breath, you slowly flip over one corner of your test. You see the tip of what could either be a two or three. Your stomach drops, and you decide to just flip the rest of it over.

When you see your score and realize that there are numbers other than two or three that curve at the top, you’re so shocked that you actually cry out in surprise. You’re too swept up in excitement to pay attention to your classmates turning to look at you, and you turn to show your test to Alfonse.

“Alfonse! Look! Eighty percent!” you cheer. You almost lean over from your desk to fling your arms around him, but then you realize where you are, and also you’re not even that close to Alfonse, so that would be inappropriate.

Alfonse grins, and you’re so overcome with joy for finally passing a physics test that you let yourself swoon this time.

“That’s great! I knew you could do it!” he says. “Soon you’ll be so good that you won’t even need me anymore,” he jokes.

“Haha, I’ll always need you,” you say, but you feel your stomach twist again. The irrational part of you starts to act up, and you wonder, how much does Alfonse care about you? It’s a silly thought, since it’s not like Alfonse is obligated to care about you, but you think it would be nice if Alfonse enjoyed your company as much as you enjoyed his. Does Alfonse see you as nothing but a classmate who needs help? Will he decide to break it off as soon as you can do physics on your own? Of course you wouldn’t purposely throw away your grade just for Alfonse to stay with you, but you wish you could do something to make Alfonse want to keep your company, to make him think of you as a friend, rather than just someone he’s helping out.

“Kiran? Everything okay?” Alfonse says, and you suddenly snap back to reality.

“Huh? Yeah, everything’s okay. Why?” you respond, tucking your test into your backpack.

“Oh, it’s just that you looked--well--um--it’s nothing, I guess,” he mumbles, turning back to face the front.

You frown, but your teacher has finished handing back tests and is beginning to introduce the next topic you’ll be learning, so you let it go and take out your notebook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you can see from this short chapter my stamina for writing this fic is already running out lol i'm getting impatient so i'll try to get things moving faster


	6. "i'm falling"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, sharena's texts are normal, and kiran's are **bold**!!

After you showed your mom your test score, she was so ecstatic that she insisted on giving Alfonse a gift to thank him for helping you. You were reluctant since you thought it’d be weird, but your mother is always insistent on repaying people for their kindness, so now you have a bag of homemade cookies sitting next on top of your backpack to give to Alfonse tomorrow. It’s almost two in the morning, and even though you miraculously got a B on the last test, tonight’s physics homework is utterly incomprehensible to you, so you decide to take a break. You glance at the ribbon tied around the bag of cookies, which your mother thought was necessary because apparently the bag would look too plain and ugly otherwise, and you sigh. You feel awkward about giving Alfonse cookies, since you don’t even know if he likes sweets. What if he’s allergic to something? Maybe you should ask Sharena. Just as you pull out your phone, Sharena sends you a text.

[1:42 am]  
hey kiran are you awake

**[1:43 am]**   
**yeah**   
**also why are you awake**

[1:46 am]  
i was just thinking  
i know i always tease you but you do like alfonse right? like even just as a friend?

**[1:48 am]**   
**yes? why do you ask**

[1:50 am]  
idk i was just mulling over stuff  
alfonse told me you got 80 on your test!! congrats!!

**[1:51 am]**   
**thanks! i literally shouted in the middle of class lol**   
**is everything ok though?**

[1:54 am]  
yeah i was just thinking about something that made me nostalgic  
are you still doing physics hw

**[1:56 am]**   
**well if you ever need someone to talk to i’m here**   
**yeah lol i think that 80 was a one time thing, i am so lost in class now**

[1:57 am]  
thanks!! i really appreciate it  
you can do it kiran!! i believe in you!! and you have my brother too!!

**[1:57 am]**   
**oh yeah about your brother**   
**is he allergic to like nuts or something**   
**like can he eat cookies**

[1:58 am]  
OMG ARE YOU GIVING ALFONSE COOKIES

**[1:58 am]**   
**PLS DON’T MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THIS**

[1:59 am]  
HOW COULD I NOT

**[1:59 am]**   
**IT’S JUST A THANK YOU GIFT**   
**MY MOM INSISTED**

[2:01 am]  
YOUR MOTHER IS AN ANGEL  
also i’m sure he’d be glad to get cookies from you

**[2:02 am]**   
**okay thanks**   
**go to bed, it’s late**

[2:03 am]  
ok but you should go to bed soon too

You put your phone down, rub your temples, and squint at your homework. It isn’t due until the day after tomorrow because your teacher is going to be absent for a conference and thought she’d be kind enough to give everyone an extra day on the homework. You figure tomorrow’s class will just be a study period, so maybe you could ask Alfonse about this problem. Even though you know it’s silly, you still wonder if he would be bothered if you asked him. He’s been tutoring you for a few weeks now, so there’s no need to worry, right? But maybe he has started to feel like tutoring you is tedious, and he’s just too polite to put an end to it.

You shake your head and start to stuff your homework in your backpack. No need to overthink things like this. Surely you wouldn’t be so dense that you wouldn’t notice Alfonse disliked your company. You’ve made him smile and laugh a few times, haven’t you? If he really didn’t like you, he wouldn’t humor you like that, right? You nod sternly and turn off your desk lamp before going to bed.

The next morning, you keep staring at the bag of cookies sitting on top of your notebooks in your backpack as you wait for class to start. You’re not sure what the least awkward way to give cookies is. If you hand Alfonse the cookies in class, people will wonder why you’re giving Alfonse cookies. If you wait until after class, you might forget. You could give them to him before class, but it depends on when Alfonse arrives. What if he’s late? What if there was traffic? You stare at the clock, which says there’s one minute until class starts.

As you put your face in your hands and sigh, you hear the clatter of a notebook and pen on the table. You look up to see Alfonse red in the face and panting, and suddenly all your worries fly out of you as you can’t help laughing.

“I’ve never seen you so flustered,” you say, your fingertips fiddling with the ribbon around your bag of cookies.

“I literally got here three minutes ago and then realized I got the wrong notebook from my locker, so I had to sprint all the way back to get the right one,” he says breathlessly, letting his head fall to his desk heavily and closing his eyes. “I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

You laugh again, smiling as you see the perfect opportunity to give him the cookies. “Well, here’s something to lift your spirits.” You set the bag down next to his face and watch as his eyes open and light up upon seeing it.

“Is this for me?” he asks, sitting up.

“Uh, yeah, as thanks for tutoring me and all,” you say, rubbing the back of your neck awkwardly. “My mom baked them.”

“Oh, thank you so much! Tell your mother I said thank you,” he says, smiling.

By now you’ve spent enough time with Alfonse to get used to his smile, but your heart still flutters a bit because it’s impossible not to react when someone shines so brightly.

“I will,” you assure him. You rub the back of your neck and add awkwardly, “Also, uh, about last night’s homework, could you…?”

“Oh! Do you have questions? I’d be glad to help,” Alfonse says, pulling out his homework. “Actually, I had a lot of trouble, too, haha. Which one did you need help with?”

“Oh, um,” you mumble, flipping through your pages of homework. “This one,” you say, pointing at the problem you gave up on last night.

Alfonse nods. “Yeah, this one was pretty tricky, but let me show you my work, and you’ll see it’s actually a really fun problem!”

You’re not sure what Alfonse’s definition of fun is, but you smile and try to pay attention. The more time you spend with him, the more fond of him you become, and you start to wonder if Sharena’s teasing isn’t just teasing anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will kiran hurry up and fall in love already


	7. "i'm joking, probably"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, sharena's texts are normal, kiran's are **bold** , and alfonse's are _italicized_!!

You’re walking down the hall with Alfonse after first period when you realize you still haven’t gotten his number yet. You should probably get it, but you feel like straight up asking him for it is a bit awkward. But then again, Sharena did just straight up ask for your number, so maybe it isn’t that weird? You furrow your eyebrows.

“Is something wrong, Kiran?” Alfonse asks, and you blink. Well, you might as well go for it.

“Er, I was thinking that I...we...should exchange numbers? Since, uh, it’d be convenient in case one of us have to cancel last minute--or something--um--”

“Oh! You’re right! I can’t believe I didn’t think to do this sooner,” Alfonse says with a smile, pulling out his phone and handing it to you so you can input your number.

You give a tentative smile back as you type your name in. That was easier than expected. You really shouldn’t worry as much as you do. You text yourself to get Alfonse’s number and then hand back his phone just as the both of you reach the stairs.

You start to take a step downstairs when Alfonse pulls you back. Startled, you turn around, and your heart flutters at the way Alfonse’s cheeks grow rosy.

“Um,” Alfonse says, “this Sunday, are you busy?”

You wonder if blushing is contagious, because the more you look at Alfonse, the more your own face starts to heat up. “I--uh--no?”

“O-Oh,” Alfonse stammers, looking down. Even his ears are red, and your face feels impossibly hot as you watch Alfonse chew on his lip. “Well, um, Sharena had planned to drag me to the movies with her this Sunday, but her calc teacher suddenly pushed their test back from Friday to Monday, so she wanted to study instead, and, well, we already bought the tickets, so…” Alfonse looks back up at you, and as you suddenly realize he’s still holding your arm, you feel even more flustered. “Would you like to go to the movies with me?”

“I--um--” You’re glad Alfonse is holding onto you, because your legs feel like they might not be able to support you much longer. “I’d--have to ask my mom first--but, um, yes, I’d like to go. With you. Um. Yes.”

Alfonse breaks into a grin, and with his rosy cheeks and bright eyes, you positively swoon. You quickly try to tone down these feelings, since after the bathroom fiasco you’re trying to embarrass yourself less in front of Alfonse and you need to get to class anyway.

Alfonse then realizes as well that he’s still holding onto you, and, flustered, he lets go. “Well, um. Please let me know at your earliest convenience,” he says quickly, before rushing up the stairs.

You can’t help laughing at his stiff reply, and the giddy feeling in your chest stays with you for the rest of the day.

xx

[8:31 pm]  
I HEAR YOU GOT A DATE WITH ALFONSE

Your face heats up as you read Sharena’s text, and you furiously type back.

**[8:32 pm]**   
**IT’S NOT A DATE**

[8:33 pm]  
yeah keep telling yourself that  
It’s a horror movie btw!! gives you a chance to cling to alfonse when you’re scared ;)

You put your phone down to put your face in your hands. You’re terrible with horror. Why did you agree to go without even finding out what movie it was?

**[8:33 pm]**   
**i’ve made a grave mistake**   
**guess i gotta tell alfonse i can’t go after all**

[8:35 pm]  
WHAT NO  
HE’S SO EXCITED  
PLEASE KIRAN

**[8:35 pm]**   
**i was joking**   
**i’ll tough it out for your brother’s sake**

You pause and reread Sharena’s text.

**[8:36 pm]**   
**what do you mean he’s excited?**

[8:37 pm]  
he’s really looking forward to going to the movies with you!!  
he was smiling all through dinner

Your face starts to heat up again, your cheeks tingling as your blush spreads across your face.

**[8:38 pm]**   
**i haven’t even told him if i can go yet**

[8:38 pm]  
well can you??

**[8:39 pm]**   
**yes**   
**i’m texting him now**

You open the text you sent yourself from Alfonse’s phone and start typing.

**[8:41 pm]**   
**hi! it’s kiran! i asked my mom and she said i could go!**

Right as you move to go back to your conversation with Sharena, your phone vibrates. For some reason, your face warms and you feel a little embarrassed that Alfonse responded so quickly.

_[8:41 pm]_   
_That’s great! Should I come pick you up or would you rather meet there?_

You feel flustered by the idea of Alfonse picking you up because then this would definitely resemble a date, and Sharena’s teasing would be endless.

**[8:42 pm]**   
**no, that’s okay! we can meet there!**

You go back to your conversation with Sharena.

**[8:43 pm]**   
**it’s all settled**

Your phone buzzes, and you flip back to your conversation with Alfonse.

_[8:43 pm]_   
_Are you sure? I wouldn’t mind!_

**[8:43 pm]**   
**it’s okay! you don’t have to!**

Your phone buzzes furiously, and you go back to your conversation with Sharena.

[8:44 pm]  
NICE  
BETTER GIMME ALL THE DEETS AFTERWARDS  
GOSH I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE FINALLY DATING

**[8:45 pm]**   
**IT’S NOT A DATE**

You get another text from Alfonse, and you check it.

_[8:45 pm]_   
_Okay! If you change your mind, let me know!_

You move to reply, but you get another text from Sharena, so you check it.

[8:46 pm]  
ok but be honest...you like him, don’t you?

You flip back to Alfonse.

**[8:47 pm]**   
**if i admit i kinda like him will you stop teasing me**

_[8:49 pm]_   
_What? Did you mean to send this to someone else?_

You blink, look at the contact name, shriek, and throw your phone across the room. You hear your mom calling if you’re okay, and once you assure her that you’re fine, you walk over to pick up your phone, which is miraculously unharmed. A flurry of lies fly through your head as you try to come up with a response.

**[8:53 pm]**   
**UM YEAH**   
**SORRY**   
**JUST IGNORE THAT**   
**I WAS TALKING TO SHARENA**   
**ABOUT CHARACTERS**   
**IN THIS SERIES WE LIKE**   
**AND WE WERE DISCUSSING THE LIKABILITY OF THIS ONE CHARACTER**

_[8:54 pm]_   
_Oh, okay! Well, see you tomorrow, Kiran!_

**[8:55 pm]**   
**see you!**

You sigh heavily and put your head on your desk, but then you remember you still need to respond to Sharena.

**[8:57 pm]**   
**i almost confessed to your brother just now**

[8:57 pm]  
SO YOU DO LIKE HIM  
ASJDLKFK  
I’M ROOTING FOR YOU OK!!

**[8:59 pm]**   
**sharena pls…**

A part of you muses if this thing with Alfonse on Sunday really counts as a date, and your chest squeezes. You quickly shake your head. It’s not like you’re interested in him enough to want to date him, you tell yourself. You’re just extremely fond of him, is all. You laugh to yourself. You think it’s a little childish to act like this, but you’re young, so you think it’s okay if you pretend to be in denial for a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote so much blushing this chapter i ended up getting embarrassed...i also spent way too long thinking about whether or not alfonse could drive, and if so, whether or not he would have his own car


	8. "i'm flustered"

You’re thirty minutes early to the movie and you feel ridiculous. You should have listened to your mother when she told you to take your time. You sit at a bench outside the theater and run a hand through your hair. You feel self-conscious with nothing covering your perpetual bedhead, but today is abnormally hot, and your mother scolded you for being impractical when you tried to leave with your usual hoodie. You could have worn a hat, but then you’d never be able to take it off in front of Alfonse because he’d see your already terrible bedhead even more messed up by being stuffed under a hat. Maybe you should have showered beforehand. But that’s putting a little too much effort, isn’t it? It’s not like this is a date or anything. Probably.

You hear footsteps approach you. “Oh! Kiran! I didn’t expect you to be here so early,” Alfonse says with a wave and a smile.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” you say, trying to think of an excuse. “Better to be an hour early than a minute late, right?” you laugh sheepishly.

“You got here an hour ago?” Alfonse replies, alarmed.

“Oh! No!” you quickly amend, your cheeks already heating up. “I just got here a few minutes ago. I just, uh, I was worried about traffic, so I thought it’d be better to get here early.”

“Oh, that’s good. I would feel bad if you had to wait long,” Alfonse laughs. “Well, we’re still early, so do you just want to sit out here?”

“Um, I don’t mind either way,” you say, halfway standing up into an awkward bent position, as if you’re not sure whether to stand all the way up or sit back down. You feel stupid holding this position, but if you stand up, you’d be implying that you want to go inside and then you’d make Alfonse feel obligated to go inside even if he doesn’t want to, but if you sit back down, it’ll look like you just did a weird butt lift.

“I don’t mind either,” Alfonse says. He stares at you. “Um, is something the matter? Does your stomach hurt?”

You stand straight up. “Huh? Uh, no, I was just--thinking.” You feel like punching yourself in the face because who would hold that kind of ridiculous position while thinking? “Let’s go inside,” you decide, ushering Alfonse into the theater.

Once you both take your seats, you remember that this is a horror movie, and your stomach starts to churn. Maybe you really will get a stomachache. You try to distract yourself with small talk and ask Alfonse, “So are you a fan of scary movies?”

Alfonse smiles. “I wouldn’t call myself a fan, but I don’t mind watching them. What about you?”

You avert your eyes and wonder if you should lie. If you tell him the truth, he would feel bad and say you don’t have to watch with him. But you did look forward to watching a movie with Alfonse, so maybe you’ll be able to tolerate it. “I’m okay with them,” you mumble.

Alfonse furrows his eyebrows, but then the theater goes dark, and you turn your head and act like you’re paying attention to the ads that are running on the screen.

The movie hasn’t even started yet, and your heart is already pounding. This was a mistake. You should have just told the truth. Maybe you can tell Alfonse you need to go to the bathroom and just wait outside for two hours. But then Alfonse would worry and come looking for you. Ah, this was a mistake.

The movie opens with a shot of an empty swing swaying on an overcast day, and even though you know it’s a cliche way to start a horror movie, you still have to bite your lip to keep yourself calm. You absolutely hate jumpscares, and you’re hoping that if you end up not being able to hold back your yell, you’ll be drowned out by the sound effects.

You glance at Alfonse, who looks as calm as ever, and you flinch when he looks back at you.

“Is something wrong?” he whispers.

“Oh, no, everything’s good,” you murmur, looking back at the screen.

Twenty minutes into the movie, the young hero is venturing into the backyard because he heard a suspicious sound, and it takes all your willpower not to close your eyes and cover your ears. You can tell a jumpscare is going to come any second now, and you’ll lose the last shred of dignity you’ve managed to hold onto around Alfonse.

The jumpscare doesn’t come, though, and you’re left with your heart still pounding in anxiety, because what is with this delay? Waiting just makes you more nervous. Now the heroine’s going into the basement, and part of you is thinking this is a terribly cliche movie, but another part wishes you could hold someone’s hand. (And another part adds, preferably Alfonse’s hand, but you quickly swat away that thought.)

When the heroine makes it safely back into the living room, your fingers start to dig into the armrest. Why has nothing happened yet? This is utterly nerve-racking.

You feel a tap on your shoulder and nearly jump out of your seat, but then you realize it’s just Alfonse.

“Kiran, are you okay?” he whispers.

You open your mouth to reply, but a blood-curdling shriek fills the theater, and you practically fling yourself into Alfonse’s lap.

“A-Are you actually bad with scary movies?” Alfonse asks, but all you can do is hide your face in his shirt because you’ve officially lost all your pride. “Um, we can leave early if you want--”

You shake your head and sit up, glad that the theater is dark enough to hide your blush. “No, I’ll, uh, be fine. I was just startled.” You quickly turn back to the movie.

You’re not sure how so much could happen in two minutes, but somehow the heroine has lost one of her feet, and the hero is trying unsuccessfully to stop the bleeding. You wonder why the heck Sharena wanted to watch this movie.

Somehow you manage to survive the remaining hour and a half by squeezing your eyes shut and concentrating on physics problems in your head to block out the noise. You feel lame for resorting to this, but at least you got some review for your physics test in a couple weeks.

As you walk out of the theater and blink at the bright lights, Alfonse pats your shoulder.

“You should have told me you don’t like horror movies.”

You whip around, your face warm. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw you close your eyes for almost the whole movie,” Alfonse says with a small smile. “I’m sorry I put you through that.”

“Don’t be sorry,” you reply. “It was my own choice. I wanted to see a movie with you.”

Alfonse’s smile grows wide. “Really? I’m glad. Then maybe next time we can watch a comedy instead.” He pauses, and his cheeks turn pink. “Um, assuming there will be a next time?”

Blushing must be contagious, you decide, because your own cheeks start to feel hot too. “I, um, wouldn’t mind.”

“Great,” Alfonse says. He fiddles with the hem of his shirt. “Well, would you like me to drive you home?”

“Oh, no, that’s okay, I’m leaving in a few minutes,” you say, waving him away. “Maybe, uh, next time.”

Alfonse smiles again, and you really can’t deny that he makes you swoon. “Okay. It was nice seeing you. You...er...I liked seeing you without your hoodie,” he says, his mouth quirked awkwardly. “I-I mean, I’ve seen you without it before, but that was, well, I wasn’t really paying attention…” He trails off, and you realize he’s referring to that when he lent you clothes during that bathroom disaster. Somehow, it seems you’re both embarrassed, and you think it’s nice that Alfonse is feeling just as awkward as you are.

“Thanks,” you say, smiling. You check the time on your phone. “I gotta go. See you tomorrow.” You wave as he nods and waves back, and as you walk out the front, you cover your face with your hands. The horror movie has long been over, but your heart’s still pounding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel like each chapter gets more and more embarrassing lol i hope i can get to the confession scene soon bc i've been sitting on another fic idea for months now and want to get started on that lol


	9. "i'm gonna try"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sharena's texts are normal and kiran's are **bold**!!

You’ve been home for only half an hour when your phone buzzes several times. Sharena sure is something.

[5:23 pm]  
HOW WAS IT  
ALFONSE WAS PRACTICALLY SWOONING

Your face immediately heats up, and you have to remind yourself that Sharena always exaggerates things.

**[5:24 pm]**   
**i doubt he was swooning**   
**i was swooning though**

[5:24 pm]  
ADLFJKSDK  
HE WAS THOUGH  
ALSO  
YOU FINALLY ADMIT YOU LIKE ALFONSE

**[5:26 pm]**   
**urghh**   
**yeah fine**   
**i kinda like him**   
**urhgsadlfjk**

[5:27 pm]  
I’M SO HYPED FOR YOU TWO  
do you need help wooing him  
i can give you advice

**[5:29 pm]**   
**asldkfk don’t**   
**how do you even know if alfonse likes me**

[5:29 pm]  
I’M HIS SISTER  
I LIVE WITH HIM  
IT’S OBVIOUS  
he doesn’t get attached to people easily but somehow you managed to sneak into his heart so easily!!

Against your better judgment, your heart pounds. The thought that you’re even a little special to Alfonse makes giddiness flood through you.

**[5:31 pm]**   
**are you just flattering me**   
**if you get my hopes up for nothing i’ll be very embarrassed**

[5:32 pm]  
i wouldn’t do that!!  
he really does like you, kiran!!  
he’s just awkward so it’s really unlikely he’ll make the first move  
it’s a miracle he asked you to the movies in the first place!!

You put your face in your hands and groan. Sharena is really getting your hopes up now. You’re even entertaining the idea of going out with Alfonse.

**[5:34 pm]**   
**but what if you’re wrong**

[5:34 pm]  
I’M NOT!!

**[5:34 pm]**   
**but if you are**

[5:35 pm]  
then i’ll scold alfonse for wooing boys willy nilly without taking responsibility!!

Despite your apprehension, you burst out in a short laugh.

**[5:36 pm]**   
**thanks sharena**

[5:36 pm]  
that’s what friends are for!!  
but also if you break his heart i’m obligated to beat you up  
since he’s my brother and all

**[5:37 pm]**   
**i wouldn’t!**

[5:37 pm]  
so you’re gonna try going out with him after all?

You rub the back of your neck and huff. You almost got swept up in the mood. It’s not like you’re dying to date Alfonse, even if you do like him. Dating just seems to have too many variables to be worth going through the trouble. It’s so easy for things to go wrong.

**[5:38 pm]**   
**idk**

[5:38 pm]  
KIRAN PLS  
imagine looking back at this 10 years from now and regretting not taking the chance!!

**[5:39 pm]**   
**why are you making this so high stakes**   
**it’s just a crush**

[5:39 pm]  
i just feel like it’ll be such a missed opportunity!! you two are so good together!!

**[5:40 pm]**   
**flattery will get you nowhere**

[5:41 pm]  
what will it take for you to ask alfonse out

**[5:41 pm]**   
**nothing, bc i won’t**

[5:42 pm]  
KIRAN!!

**[5:42 pm]**   
**omg if i ask him on one date will you stop**

[5:42 pm]  
ASDLFJKDSK  
I’M SO EXCITED  
but wait i hope i didn’t force you bc then i’ll feel bad  
you don’t have to if you don’t want to  
i just really feel like this is gonna be the best!!

You bite your lip. It’s not like you’re totally against it. You’re just a little reluctant to admit your feelings, and if you ask him out, it’s hard to keep denying them. But you don’t want Sharena to worry, so for once you’ll be honest.

**[5:43 pm]**   
**nah i just needed an excuse so now i can just blame you if i get embarrassed**

[5:43 pm]  
ASLDFJK KIRAN YOU SLY BOY

You can’t help the grin that spreads across your face as you put down your phone and check if you have any unfinished homework due tomorrow. As you sift through the papers in your backpack, you think about how you’re going to approach Alfonse.

Asking him out tomorrow would be too soon, wouldn’t it? You two just went out today. Well, it wasn’t a date, but it kind of felt like one. And you should also consider things from Alfonse’s point of view. Would it be weird for you to ask him out when you’re not even that close? Sure, you’ve been to his house a few times now, but it was just for tutoring. You’re not even sure if he would consider you a friend. Should you flirt with him first?

You grimace at the thought. You can just imagine what a trainwreck that would be. How in the world do people even flirt? You’d have to get a good mood going first, wouldn’t you? You can’t just go up to Alfonse and be like, “Hey, you look cute today.” That would be too random, right? But all the two of you ever talk about is school. Calculating friction coefficients is hardly sexy.

Well, you could talk about the movie you watched today. Except, well, you hardly watched it. Then maybe you could ask about his hobbies? It seems kind of late to ask him now, but it shouldn’t be too bad. Probably.

You shake your head. You can think about this later. And knowing Sharena, she’ll give you more advice than you’d ever need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i myself have never flirted with anyone so you can expect kiran to make a fool of himself yet again next chapter


	10. "when will i stop putting my foot in my mouth"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, sharena's texts are normal, kiran's are **bold** , and alfonse's are _italicized_

The next morning, you’re walking to your physics class when you’re tackled from behind and almost fall down.

“Sharena!” you hear Alfonse call as you try to regain your balance. “Don’t just do that to Kiran without warning!”

“He doesn’t mind!” Sharena grins. She turns back to you. “You don’t, right?”

“N-No,” you say, still trying to recover from your mini heart attack. “Isn’t your class in the other building?”

“Yeah! But I wanted to talk to you!” Sharena says, grabbing your hands and swinging your arms playfully. “In private,” she adds, giving Alfonse a pointed look.

Alfonse arches an eyebrow. “Oh-kay,” he says in a tone that makes you think he has grown used to Sharena’s antics. “Don’t be too long, though. Class is starting soon.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Sharena says, shooing him into the classroom. She turns to you. “So! What’s the plan?”

“Uh? What plan?” you reply.

“To woo Alfonse!” she says. “Gosh, you’re so slow sometimes, Kiran!”

You splutter. “Isn’t it too soon? We just went out yesterday.”

“But that doesn’t count! It wasn’t an official date! And what’s the point in stalling if you both like each other?”

You blush, still not used to admitting you like Alfonse. “Well, I have absolutely zero flirting skills, so I don’t know how I’m gonna woo him.”

“It’s easy! Just--”

The bell rings, signalling that there’s five minutes until class starts, and you both jump.

“Ah! I gotta go! I’ll tell you more later, okay?” Sharena says, turning and running off before you can even reply.

You sigh, entering the classroom and sitting down in your seat. It’s not like it’s that hard, right? You always make too big a deal out of things. And Alfonse is nice, so as long as you don’t say anything weird, he’ll react positively, right? Maybe you should look up online how to flirt. You inwardly cringe. You feel incredibly lame, but it’s not like you have many options. And how bad can it be? You nod, deciding to look up ways to woo Alfonse during lunch.

xx

After scrolling through pages of less than helpful articles, all you’ve learned was that there were a lot of bad pick up lines out there.

There are only a few minutes of lunch left, so you head to the bathroom and nearly jump out of your skin.

Alfonse is there, washing his hands, and somehow your brain has decided now is the optimal time to start trying to woo Alfonse. Your heart is pounding, your face heats up, and you’ve been staring gawkishly at him for so long that he notices you.

“Oh! Hi, Kiran! How are you?” he says, drying his hands.

In that moment, your brain is so scrambled that it sends the wrong words to your mouth, and you end up blurting out in a horribly squeaky voice, “Uh, come here often?”

Alfonse tilts his head, confused. “Um. This is...the bathroom…?”

You resist the urge to smack your head against the wall and wish you hadn’t just spent half an hour reading terrible pick up lines. “I--uh--you’re right! Haha! I guess--it wouldn’t be too good--to come here too often, huh? Because then, uh, it might be best...to go see a doctor about that...or something…” You’re internally screaming because everything that comes out of your mouth just makes things worse. “I’m--gonna--go. Yeah.” You turn on your heel, and it takes all your willpower not to sprint out of there.

By the time you sit down in your second to last class of the day, your head in your hands, you realize that you forgot to use the bathroom. You groan, wondering if you made an even bigger mess of things than the time you got trapped in Alfonse’s bathroom. What is it with you and Alfonse and bathrooms? Why do you always embarrass yourself in the most vulnerable places? You wonder if that says something about you, but the bell has rung, and your teacher has begun class, so you shake the thoughts out of your head to pay attention.

xx

When you get ready to start your homework, your phone buzzes rapidly, and you get ready to respond to Sharena. However, when you check the contact name, you yelp and almost drop the phone.

_[5:31 pm]_   
_Hi Kiran! It’s Alfonse. Well, I guess I don’t need to say that since my name is in your contacts. Anyway I was wonderi_   
_Ah, sorry! I accidentally sent the text before I was finished typing_   
_Um_   
_How are you?_

You laugh at his fumbling with words, but a fluttering sensation settles in your chest at the suggestion that maybe he’s flustered because he likes you.

**[5:32 pm]**   
**i’m good**   
**what were you wondering?**

_[5:35 pm]_   
_Oh, that’s good. I’m also good. Uh. You don’t need to worry about what I was wondering about since I’ve resolved it._

You arch an eyebrow.

**[5:35 pm]**   
**ok well**   
**is there anything else you wanted to ask?**

_[5:39 pm]_   
_No, that’s all! Have a nice night!_

You smile at his overly polite response. You find everything about him so unbearably charming that you have to bite your lip to stop smiling so hard.

**[5:40 pm]**   
**thanks! you too!**

You haven’t even set your phone down for five seconds when it buzzes again.

[5:41 pm]  
READY TO LEARN HOW TO WOO ALFONSE

You burst out in a short laugh at Sharena’s excitement. Then you remember the Second Bathroom Fiasco, as you’ve decided to call it, and the lightheartedness you were feeling from your texts with Alfonse is replaced by a heavy feeling of embarrassment.

**[5:42 pm]**   
**i kinda implied he had bladder problems today so yes, please teach me**

[5:42 pm]  
ALDSFJK  
KIRAN  
HOW  
OMG

**[5:43 pm]**   
**DON’T JUDGE**   
**I WAS LOOKING UP HOW TO FLIRT**

[5:43 pm]  
OMG

**[5:44 pm]**   
**DON’T INTERRUPT**   
**AND I BUMPED INTO ALFONSE IN THE BATHROOM**   
**AND I BLURTED OUT THE WORST PICK UP LINE I COULD HAVE SAID**

[5:45 pm]  
omg...what did you say

You inhale, wondering once again where your life went wrong as you recall what happened.

**[5:47 pm]**   
**“come here often”**

[5:47 pm]  
ASDKFLJSKDK  
OMG  
WHY

**[5:48 pm]**   
**I WASN’T THINKING**   
**AND THEN I MADE IT WORSE BY RAMBLING**

[5:48 pm]  
HOW COULD YOU MAKE IT WORSE

**[5:49 pm]**   
**“you should go see a doctor if that’s the case”**   
**I SAID THAT**   
**CAN YOU BELIEVE IT**

[5:49 pm]  
ALSJDFKSDFSK  
KIRAN!!  
YOU ARE A HOT MESS!!

**[5:50 pm]**   
**I KNOW!!**   
**SO HELP ME LEARN HOW TO FLIRT!!**

[5:51 pm]  
it’s not that hard!! just tell him he looks nice!!

**[5:51 pm]**   
**but he always looks nice! if i say it once then it’ll seem like he only looked nice that day!**

[5:52 pm]  
OMG KIRAN PLS  
then say “you look nice today!! but then again you always look nice!!”

**[5:52 pm]**   
**but how do i lead up to it! i can’t just randomly say it out of the blue!**

[5:53 pm]  
omg kiran...you are making this so difficult...he won’t think anything weird of it!! he’ll be flattered!!

**[5:54 pm]**   
**are you sure**

[5:54 pm]  
positive

**[5:54 pm]**   
**I’M TRUSTING YOU**

[5:55 pm]  
good!! i’m a trustworthy person!!

Despite your nervousness, you smile. Sharena is somehow always able to lift your mood.

**[5:56 pm]**   
**this is random but i’m glad we’re friends**

[5:57 pm]  
aw thanks kiran!! i’m glad too!! gosh you’ve got me all emotional now  
also that’s perfect!! just do it like that with alfonse tomorrow!! see, you’re a natural!!

**[5:59 pm]**   
**ok i’ll try my best**   
**i gotta get started on my hw so see you tomorrow**

[5:59 pm]  
see you!!

You set your phone down and take a breath. Sharena’s words of encouragement have renewed your determination. You’re going to work hard to woo Alfonse.

You laugh to yourself, thinking this is all a bit silly, but then you take a look at your physics homework for tonight and realize this is no time to be laughing. You’ve still got a long way to go before you can even call yourself adequate at physics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've been waiting to write that bathroom scene since i've started this fic lol anyway alfonse must surely be smitten if he's still into someone as embarrassing as kiran


	11. "i am an absolute mess"

As you walk to first period, you run through the compliments you rehearsed in front of the mirror this morning. You've practiced so many times that there is no way you could mess this up. After all, you just have to thank Alfonse for tutoring you and tell him how great he is. It's casual enough for you to say without having anything leading up to it, and it's friendly enough to lead to opportunities for flirting. Your heart pounds from anticipation, and then you see Alfonse standing outside your classroom.

“Oh, Alfonse--”

“Hi Kiran--”

You both pause, smiling awkwardly as you wait for someone to continue.

“Um, you can go first,” Alfonse says.

“Oh, uh, no, that's okay, you can go,” you say, getting more and more flustered as you stumble over your words. Maybe you will mess up complimenting him after all.

“Well, uh, I was wondering if you were busy Sunday?” Alfonse says, and you're reminded of your theory that blushing is contagious because his face is turning pink just like yours.

“I, uh, don't think so. Why?” Even though you ask, your stomach flips like you already know what he's going to say.

Alfonse chews his lip before giving a crooked smile. “Would you like to see a movie this Sunday? Since, er, last time we talked about seeing a comedy, and Sharena told me about one that came out recently and said it would be good to see…”

You wonder if Sharena did that on purpose, but you're thankful anyway because if she weren't around to push you two along, you might never have gotten to know Alfonse beyond your tutoring sessions. You fight to keep the goofy smile on your face from growing too wide, and you say, “Sunday again, huh?”

Alfonse blushes. “Well, um, it doesn't have to be Sunday! It could be Friday, or Saturday after our study session…Or, uh, any day that's fine with you.”

You laugh. “No, I, uh, would not mind seeing a movie with you this Sunday.” You're embarrassed by your awkward response, but it reminds you of Alfonse's overly polite speech whenever he feels awkward, and a silly part of you feels giddy that such an endearing trait of his has rubbed off on you.

Alfonse breaks into a grin, and you wonder if his smile will ever not make you swoon. “Then, um, I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!”

You nod, your smile growing wider despite yourself, and you can't wait for the weekend.

xx

While finding a secluded place to eat your lunch, you hear a distant “Kiran!” and turn around to see Sharena sprinting at you with such enthusiasm your first instinct is to turn and run away.

Of course, you don’t do this, and brace yourself for her impact. Sure enough, she launches herself at you, and it takes all your strength not to fall down.

“What is it, Sharena?” you wheeze.

“How did it go?! I know Alfonse asked you out this morning! Or at least, that’s what he planned to do! Gosh, if he chickened out, I’m gonna--”

You push Sharena back enough so that you have room to breathe. “Slow down!” you laugh. “And, uh, yeah, he asked me...to see a movie with him again. I wouldn’t say he asked me out on a date, though, it’s more like, just hanging out, I guess, since we did talk about seeing a movie together again, and it’s not like seeing a movie is exclusively a date activity--”

“Stop making excuses, Kiran! Gosh! If you’re not sure it’s a date, then make it one!” Sharena says firmly. “My brother wouldn’t do all this if he wasn’t interested in you!”

“W-What makes you say that?” you say, your doubts starting to creep in again. “You’re always so excited about me and Alfonse, but from what I can tell, it’s not like Alfonse has shown any special interest in me. He’d treat anyone else just the same, right?”

“My brother isn’t that warm a person!” Sharena bursts out. “Of course he’s kind, but it’s not easy for him to get close to other people! Don’t underestimate how meaningful this is! I can tell he’s putting a lot of effort! And don’t underestimate how well I know my brother, either!”

Your heartbeat races as your eyes widen in surprise. “I--uh--what?” You want to feel flattered, but somehow Sharena’s words just makes your chest feel tight. Why would Alfonse have trouble getting close to others? He’s always smiled warmly at you, so you can’t imagine why Sharena said he wasn’t like that to others. It’s not like you’re special.

“I--ugh--I don’t think it’s my place to say, but I think you should probably know so you’d stop doubting yourself and get a move on already! I don’t know how much longer Alfonse’s heart can take it!” Sharena says, ruffling her hair in frustration. “Alfonse, he--he’s had a lot of trouble maintaining relationships with the people he cares about, so he’s grown reluctant to get close to new people. But he’s probably become so smitten with you that he can’t help himself now! That’s why I really hope you’ll take this seriously and treat him the way he deserves to be treated! And by that, I mean with as much care and affection as you could possibly give him! My brother deserves the best!”

Flustered, you splutter, “I--ah--of course I will!” Although you feel overdramatic, you’re so moved by Sharena’s words that your nose tingles like you’re about to cry. With your face redder than ever, you declare, “Thank you for telling me this! I will definitely do my best! I like him a lot, after all!”

Sharena grins. “Good! I’m glad!” She claps her hand on your shoulder. “And don’t worry, I’ll always be here to help you two!”

“I still don’t understand why Alfonse likes me, though,” you mumble.

“What’s not to like? You’re cute and earnest and kind! You’re a good person, Kiran!” Sharena says. “Maybe you can’t tell, but you’re really charismatic, too! Why wouldn’t Alfonse like you?”

You blush, rubbing the back of your neck. “Gosh, you sure know how to make someone feel special, Sharena.”

“I’m just that talented!” Sharena winks, giving him a thumbs up. “Anyway, since Alfonse went out of his way to ask you out, you probably don’t even need to woo him anymore! Just confess!”

“C-Confess?!” you stutter. “Like it’s that easy!”

“Why not?” Sharena responds with a pout. “What’s stopping you?”

“I-It’s embarrassing…”

“Don’t be a wimp, Kiran! Don’t you think it’s embarrassing for someone as awkward as Alfonse to keep asking you out? Don’t worry! Alfonse won’t think you’re embarrassing, and his opinion is the only one that matters when it comes to your confession, isn’t it?”

“You should really join the debate team…” Nevertheless, Sharena’s words have cleared any remaining worries. “Then, uh, should I...confess on Sunday?”

“Sure! You could even do it right now, but I’ll let you mentally prepare yourself! Confess at your movie date!” Sharena says, clapping her hands excitedly. “Gosh, I can’t believe you’re finally getting together! I’m so happy!”

You laugh a little. “It’s nice to know you’re rooting for me so hard.” You run a hand through your hair. “I, uh, don’t have much experience when it comes to dating and stuff, so I’m glad you’re helping me so much.”

“Haha, I figured! You’re almost as awkward as my brother, after all!” Sharena says more bluntly than you appreciate. Still, she’s right.

“Ugh, this is so embarrassing, though...how do you even confess to someone?” you mutter.

“Easy! Do you like Alfonse?” she asks, her arms crossed.

You’re startled by her question. “Y-Yes…?” you say nervously, as if it might be a trick question.

“How much?”

You bite your lip, your ears turning red. “A-A lot.”

“Then say it!”

“W-What? Right now?”

“Yeah!” Sharena insists.

“But we’re in public!” You look around, expecting to see people, but then you remember you wanted to find a place away from others to eat your lunch in peace.

“No one’s here!” she says, her expression so determined that you decide to listen to her.

You gulp, and your heart is pounding so hard you don’t hear the footsteps behind you. “I-I like Alfonse! A lot! I like him a lot!”

“W-What?”

You whip around in horror.

Alfonse’s face is red. “Um, what did you say?”

Your face is immediately on fire, and you blurt out, “Nothing! I didn’t say anything! It’s none of your concern!” You glance at Sharena, who is frowning at you and looks like she’s about to say something. Frantic, you quickly shout, “I wasn’t talking about you! I meant someone else! Uh, bye!” You turn on your heel and sprint away like your life depends on it.

You don’t get to see Alfonse’s face fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had a strong urge to put at the end sharena smacking kiran across the face and shouting "ARE YOU A TSUNDERE?? SHUT UP" but of course i couldn't put that lol
> 
> i also though about including some zacharias-related angst since when i look back, it seems like i strongly foreshadowed drama but idk how to write drama and this story is supposed to be fun nonsense so i scrapped that idea
> 
> anyway, i guess it got a little dramatic with kiran's tsundere denial and alfonse's disappointment so yeah...as with all romcoms, everything has to fall apart before they get together lol


	12. "i'm so nervous"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, sharena's texts are normal, and kiran's are **bold**!!

After getting home, you take a shower to clear your head. The best thing to do is to apologize to Alfonse, isn’t it? But apologize for what? It isn’t as if you offended him, right? But you feel like you should apologize. You did lie to him, so you could apologize to him about that. But then that would mean you’d have to confess your feelings, wouldn’t it? Well, you guess now’s a good a time as ever. You really do like him.

You sigh and ruffle your hair in frustration before flopping onto your bed. How exactly should you go about it? You can’t imagine how you can just smoothly apologize and confess all in one go. Will you even be able to get a hold of him? You wonder how Alfonse reacted after you ran. A heavy feeling settles in your stomach. What if you upset him? You groan and roll to smother your face in your pillow. This is the worst. While you lie on your bed and wallow in worry, your phone buzzes. Reluctantly, you open the text.

[9:02 pm]  
i hope you’re ready for me to kick your ass tomorrow

**[9:03 pm]  
** **I’M SORRY  
** **I JUST SAID IT WITHOUT THINKING  
**I PANICKED****

********** **

[9:03 pm]  
THAT IS NO EXCUSE, KIRAN  
YOU BETTER APOLOGIZE TO ALFONSE TOMORROW  
AND I’M STILL KICKING YOUR ASS

**[9:04 pm]  
**i want to apologize to him right now but doing it over text isn’t good right****

********

[9:05 pm]  
YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT IT ISN’T GOOD  
YOU BETTER COME IN ON A WHITE HORSE WITH A BOUQUET OF ROSES

**[9:05 pm]  
**I WISH I COULD****

********

[9:05 pm]  
ugh  
if i didn’t know what a nice guy you are i would hate you  
just  
treat my brother well, okay?

**[9:06 pm]  
** **i know, i just  
** **ugh  
**how do i apologize****

********** **

[9:07 pm]  
just tell the truth!!

**[9:07 pm]  
**IT’S HARD****

********

[9:08 pm]  
LOVE ISN’T EASY, KIRAN

Even now, you can’t help blushing. You wouldn’t go as far as to say you love Alfonse, but it’s not like you’re against Sharena saying that. You groan into your pillow before rolling onto your back.

**[9:10 pm]  
** **okay so i guess  
**i’m going to confess tomorrow  
**oh no******

********** **

********** **

[9:11 pm]  
don’t worry, kiran!! worst case scenario i’ll hold you down to keep you from running this time

Though it’s embarrassing to recall today’s events, you can’t help a small laugh from bursting out.

**[9:12 pm]  
** **thanks, sharena  
**if i chicken out you have permission to confess for me****

********** **

********** **

[9:12 pm]  
NOPE  
YOU GOTTA DO IT YOURSELF  
i don’t want my brother to look back and think “wow my bf had to use my sister to confess to me” THAT’S LAME AND ALFONSE DESERVES BETTER

**[9:13 pm]  
** **ahh you’re right  
**thanks for everything sharena, you’re really the best!****

********** **

********** **

[9:13 pm]  
i know!! good luck tomorrow!!

You sigh heavily, rolling over yet again to rub your face into your pillow. You’re already feeling stressed thinking about tomorrow. How do you even confess, anyway? Just a straightforward “I like you”? Was that good enough? Would your feelings come across that way?

How would you bring it up? First you’d have to clear things up with Alfonse, anyway. Will he act awkwardly? What if you get cold feet? Ah, Sharena will be there for you. That helps calm your nerves a bit. Exactly what should you say? “Sorry about yesterday, Alfonse, I was embarrassed and really did mean it when I said I like you”? Is that okay? You might be overthinking things, but isn’t that too simple? What if Alfonse doesn’t believe you?

But why wouldn’t he? Oh, maybe you should bring him flowers to make it really clear. Does he like flowers? What if he’s allergic to pollen? Maybe cookies would be better? After all, he accepted the cookies from before. But it’s too late to bake them now.

What if you’ve just been imagining this whole thing and Alfonse actually doesn’t like you? What if Sharena overestimated how well she knows her brother? Then your confession would make things horribly awkward and ruin your friendship with Alfonse. The possibility of everything falling apart makes you wonder if confessing is the right thing to do after all.

But you’re always worrying too much. After all, Alfonse invited you to the movies twice, and he always seems to treat you warmly. And Sharena went through so much effort, too, so there’s no way this is all just a mistake, right? You sit up and nod your head firmly. Everything will turn out okay.

You get up to start on your homework when you pause. Sharena isn’t really going to beat you up tomorrow, is she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter was kinda filler but woo!! next chapter will have the confession scene!! and then maybe i'll do another chapter or two to wrap things up and i'll finally be done with this lol i can't believe i let it get this long...i'm even more surprised i stuck to it instead of leaving it unfinished haha


	13. "i can't believe this"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i like how right after i said i can't believe i haven't abandoned this fic yet i proceeded to abandon it for 7 months...lmao  
> anyway as usual, sharena's texts are normal and kiran's are **bold**

The next morning, you’re so nervous that even your mother says something. She sees you twisting the string of your hoodie between your fingers as you stare at the passing trees and houses outside the window.

“What’s wrong?” she asks when you reach a stoplight. “Do you have something to tell me?”

You flinch, glance at her, turn back to the window, and wish you weren’t so obvious.

You hear her sigh. “Kiran, I know that...I’ve been hard on you lately about your grades. It’s just that you’re a smart boy, and I want you to reach your fullest potential, you know? So when I see you not doing well, like in physics, it makes me worry.”

You turn back to her, realizing she’s misunderstanding something.

“Anyway, I just want you to know that as long as you try your best, I’ll support you no matter what,” she continues. “Your happiness is the most important thing to me.”

“I…” Somehow, even though she’s talking about something else, her words make you feel less nervous about confessing. “Thank you, Mom,” you mumble.

She smiles. “Of course.”

As the light turns green and more buildings pass by, you suddenly remember that you haven’t even told your mother about your feelings for Alfonse. Is telling your mother about your crush a normal thing to do? You feel like it isn’t something most people do, but you also feel like you should let her know because in case everything goes well, you don’t want to suddenly spring the news on her that your tutor has become your boyfriend. But what if she reacts negatively? What if she worries that Alfonse will distract you and won’t let him tutor you anymore? What if she gets suspicious that when you’re at his house you’re not actually studying?

“I thought saying that would comfort you, but I feel like I’ve just made you more anxious,” your mother says, pulling you out of your thoughts. “Is there something wrong? What can I do, Kiran?”

Her concerned expression strengthens your resolve, and while looking at your hands in your lap, you slowly say, “I, um, like someone.” You peek at your mother for her reaction.

“Oh,” your mother responds simply, which somehow makes you more nervous than if she had a stronger reaction. Right when you open your mouth to explain, she asks, “Is it Alfonse?”

“I--uh--what?” you splutter incredulously.

She glances at you in surprise. “Oh, it isn’t? Sorry, it just seemed like--”

“No, um, it is,” you stammer. “I just, uh, how did you know?”

“I’m your mother, Kiran,” she says with a smile. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Oh,” you say in a small voice.

“So, are you planning to confess to him today? Is that why you’re nervous?”

You’re still shocked by this sequence of events in the past minute, so all you can do is manage a dazed nod.

“Oh, good luck, honey! I’m sure things will turn out great. Alfonse would be very lucky to have you,” your mother gushes as she turns towards the front of the school. “What do you have planned?”

The car has stopped behind a long line of cars, and it’ll be a while before you reach the gate. Part of you wants to get out of the car right now and just walk the rest of the way, but you know you wouldn’t get away with that. Maybe you shouldn’t have said anything to your mother after all.

“I, um, well, I’m going to tell him I like him,” you say, suddenly sweating. Now that your mother has asked for your plan, you realize that you don’t really have one. You’ve only been worrying about the outcome, but how can you even get there without a plan in the first place? You stumble over your words, “And then...wait for his response…?”

Your mother stares at you, deadpan. “Kiran, how exactly is that romantic?”

“I--um--it isn’t.”

“Kiran, I raised you better than this. You don’t even have flowers or some kind of gift for him? Not even a heartfelt card?” She gives you a stern look. “Invite him over tonight. I’ll cook a nice dinner and buy some roses for you to give him. You have to treat him well, Kiran! How do you expect him to accept your feelings if you convey them so half-heartedly! Just look at how you’re dressed! Just your usual hoodies and jeans? Do you want him to look back and think about how sloppy you looked when you asked him to be your boyfriend? I’m coming home from work early today so I’ll iron some nice clothes for you--”

“Mom!” you suddenly cut in, ears red. You never would have thought your mother would be even more enthusiastic about this than Sharena. “You don’t need to go so far!” You rub the back of your neck awkwardly, mumbling, “And isn’t it better if I do it all myself?”

Your mother stares at you before breaking into a wide smile. “Yes, of course! But really, are you gonna confess to him like this?” she asks, gesturing at your appearance.

Admittedly, you could have dressed better, but you feel like that would have put more pressure on you and make you too nervous. “Um, well, I could...invite him over Saturday? Would that be okay? And I could cook lunch for him…”

“Of course, Kiran! That’s perfect! What do you want to make? I’ll go buy the ingredients after work today.”

“I, uh, well I’d have to ask him what he likes, first…” Even though you’re embarrassed out of your mind by how invested your mother is, a warm sensation of giddiness spreads in your belly as you plan out how to confess to Alfonse. Somehow, you’re looking forward to it.

“Okay, then let me know,” your mother says as she pulls up to the front of the school. “Have a good day at school, honey.”

As you get out of the car, you turn back to your mother. “Um...Thank you, Mom. For everything.”

“Anything for you,” your mother replies warmly, and you shut the car door before entering the school.

You realize while heading towards the classroom that today is going to be horribly awkward. Actually, the whole rest of the week will be awkward. You sit right next to Alfonse, so you can’t avoid him until Saturday. Why did you decide to change your plan last minute like this? You haven’t prepared your heart to face Alfonse and not say anything.

Your spiraling thoughts are interrupted by your phone vibrating.

[7:30 am]  
ARE YOU READY KIRAN

You start panicking, wondering how to tell Sharena.

**[7:31 am]**   
**uhh change of plans**

[7:31 am]  
EXCUSE ME YOU BETTER EXPLAIN BEFORE I COME TO BEAT YOUR ASS

Your hands are trembling from nervousness, but a small part of you also briefly wonders exactly how strong Sharena is. With all her threats, could it be she’s actually quite skilled at fighting? You quickly shake the thought out of your head.

**[7:32 am]**   
**i’m inviting him over saturday**   
**making him lunch**   
**um yeah**

[7:32 am]  
omg what brought this on

You put your face in your hands as you try to find the least embarrassing way to say that your mom shamed you into finding a more extravagant way to convey your feelings.

**[7:34 am]**   
**umm my mother said i should do something more than just tell alfonse i like him**

[7:34 am]  
OMG  
YOUR MOM APPROVES  
I LOVE YOUR MOM  
i need to meet her, i bet we’d be great friends

You can’t help laughing, and you feel a little less nervous.

**[7:35 am]**   
**i just don’t know how to face alfonse until saturday**

[7:35 am]  
oh easy i’ll just distract him until then

**[7:36 am]**   
**omg sharena pls**

[7:36 am]  
don’t underestimate my skills, kiran  
but idk what you’re gonna do about him in physics  
you’re on your own for that

**[7:37 am]**   
**oh geez…**

[7:37 am]  
i still can’t believe your mom is so amazing

**[7:38 am]**   
**yeah i was a bit worried she’d disapprove since alfonse is my tutor and i might get distracted**

[7:38 am]  
LOL so you’re admitting alfonse distracts you huh

**[7:39 am]**   
**SHARENA PLS**

[7:41 am]  
haha anyway obviously being in a relationship would only make his tutoring more effective

**[7:41 am]**   
**how?**

[7:43 am]  
bc alfonse can reward you based on how well you do LMAOOO

You let out a rather embarrassing squeak as you fumble your phone and it slides across the floor. You run after it and bend down to pick it up, but your fingers brush against the fingers of someone who had also bent to pick it up for you.

You look up, a “thank you” on the tip of your tongue, but you’re so flustered you accidentally bite your tongue instead.

“Um, hello,” Alfonse says sheepishly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry for the wait...i know this chapter was definitely not worth the wait lol and idk how many ppl are even still reading but thank you for sticking with me for this long
> 
> it seems there will be a few more chapters left, and i promise you won't have to wait 7 months for the next one (you'll have to wait a whole year instead LMAOOO jk but yeah i'm going to finish this fic no matter how long it takes)


	14. "wow i'm awkward"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, sharena's texts are normal, kiran's are **bold** , and alfonse's are _italicized_

You vaguely remember back when you felt things were going too smoothly with Alfonse, and how you suspected that whoever was in charge of distributing luck in the world would realize they gave you too much, and soon they would decide to abandon you to balance things out.

Now is probably that time.

Your immediate response is to slam your hands over your phone, and though Alfonse’s fingers get trapped between your palms and your phone, you figure some sacrifices must be made for the greater good. Surely you can come up with some kind of excuse for smashing Alfonse’s hand, right? You stare at Alfonse, eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish. More importantly, he didn’t see Sharena’s text, did he?

“H-Hi!” you squeak. “Uh, how are you?”

A small wrinkle forms between Alfonse’s eyebrows as he stares in confusion at your hands over his. He glances at your face, and you can tell from his expression that he’s trying to make sense of the situation.

“I’m...fine?” he says hesitantly.

“O-Oh! That’s...good!” you stutter, your face heating up as you try desperately to think of an excuse for not letting go of Alfonse’s hand. (A voice in your head--probably Sharena’s--tells you to say you just wanted to hold his hand, but you know you can’t say that.)

Thankfully, Sharena comes to your rescue.

“Alfonse! Hey, buddy! My wonderful brother! What are you doing!” Sharena shouts, running up and pulling Alfonse into a headlock and ruffling his hair. She shoots you a look that says, Quick, while he’s distracted!

You snatch your phone away and shove it into your pocket, watching as Alfonse struggles out of Sharena’s grip and scolds her for causing a ruckus in the hallway. You probably would’ve stayed there staring, but Sharena gives you another look saying, Stupid, this is your chance to escape!

You jump to your feet. “Oh! Um! Hi Sharena! Bye Sharena!” you say frantically, taking advantage of the opening Sharena gave you to run into the classroom.

You’re not sure how you can keep this up until Saturday.

xx

The bell rings, signaling that it’s time to change classes. All throughout physics, you could feel Alfonse glancing at you, making you sweat bullets. Instead of paying attention, you spent the period coming up with a way to avoid Alfonse but also let him know to come on Saturday. It’s not like paying attention would help anyway, since you’ve grown so accustomed to the way Alfonse teaches you that listening to the teacher just doesn’t help anymore.

You stand up quickly, shove a note at Alfonse that you scrawled instead of taking notes, and run out of the room. Smooth.

He will read the note, won’t he? Alfonse isn’t so cruel as to just toss your note without reading it. But that doesn’t mean he’ll come over. What if he turns down your offer? After all, you’ve been sending mixed messages, and maybe he doesn’t want to be presumptuous and get his hopes up. If anything, Sharena would convince him, right? You nod your head, deciding to hope for the best. You also have to ask Sharena what kind of food Alfonse likes. You make a mental note to text her later.

As you sit down in your next class, you plunk your head down on your desk and sigh.

xx

Your mother picks you up from school today since she got off work early. Predictably, she immediately asks how your day went as soon as you get into the car.

“Did you ask Alfonse to come over? What did he say? Did you ask him what he likes to eat?” she asks excitedly.

You awkwardly avoid looking at her as you say, “Um...I gave him a note, so I don’t know.”

“Kiran!” your mother scolds. “You should say these things in person!”

“Yeah, I know...it’s just...awkward…”

“Of course you feel awkward, but with important things like this, you have to do them properly!” your mother lectures.

You suddenly realize you haven’t told her about the whole fiasco with you telling Alfonse you don’t like him, which is the main thing making this awkward in the first place, but you wisely decide to keep your mouth shut about it.

“Anyway, let me know when you find out,” your mother adds.

You nod, and you expect the rest of the car ride home to be silent, but then your mother launches into a whole rant about proper etiquette. When you get home, you rush upstairs to avoid hearing any more of your mother’s lectures, quickly blurting out an “I’ve got a lot of homework!” as an excuse.

As you sit down and get settled to do your homework, your phone buzzes, and you get ready to see what Sharena has to say. However, when you see the contact name, you gasp, fumble your phone, and bang your head as you crawl under your desk to pick it up.

_[4:12 pm]_  
_Hi, Kiran! I just wanted to let you know that I would like to accept your invitation to lunch at your house. Thank you for the offer._

You stare at your phone, your fingers trembling with nervousness and excitement. You throw yourself onto your bed, yell into your pillow, and stare at Alfonse’s text. A full ten minutes pass before you remember to respond.

**[4:15 pm]**  
**thanks for saying yes!!**  
**i look forward to it!!**

You stare at your reply and realize Sharena’s way of texting has rubbed off on you. Suddenly a rush of regret fills you as you wonder if the double exclamation points seemed too eager. Would they put him off? You roll over to yell into your pillow once more. No matter what you do, it seems you always embarrass yourself in front of Alfonse.

After a deep breath, you text Sharena.

**[4:23 pm]**  
**what does alfonse like to eat**

[4:25 pm]  
wow no “thanks sharena!! thanks for saving me this morning!!”

**[4:25 pm]**  
**thanks sharena!! thanks for saving me this morning!!**  
**what does alfonse like to eat**

[4:28 pm]  
omg kiran  
anyway i’m sure he’ll like anything you make

**[4:28 pm]**  
**THAT ISN’T HELPFUL**  
**I NEED TO MAKE THIS PERFECT**

[4:29 pm]  
what makes it special is you coming up with it all by yourself!! i’m sure you can think of something!!

**[4:29 pm]**  
**WHAT IF I MAKE HIM SOMETHING HE HATES**

[4:29 pm]  
you won’t, i believe in you

**[4:30 pm]**  
**THAT’S NOT REASSURING**

[4:30 pm]  
wow!! you’re saying i’m not reassuring!!

**[4:32 pm]**  
**asdkfjk sharena pls**

[4:32 pm]  
lol you’ll be fine

You stare at her text. You know that arguing with her won’t get you anywhere, but you can’t help worrying.

**[4:35 pm]**  
**ughhh**  
**i’m trying to believe that**

[4:35 pm]  
it’s okay if you don’t believe in yourself bc i believe in you!!

You burst out in a laugh.

**[4:36 pm]**  
**thanks sharena**

[4:36 pm]  
that’s what friends are for!!  
now go study, i heard alfonse say you looked distracted during physics and he’s worried

You put your phone down to put your face in your hands. Alfonse’s power to make you flustered just seems to be getting stronger with each passing day.

**[4:40 pm]**  
**okay i will, thanks**

You try to will your ears to stop turning red as you finally get started on your homework.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it took a bit longer to get this chapter out than i wanted and it's pretty short but i had exams sorry lol  
> also i just wanted to let y'all know when i watched the new banner trailer i fell down and screamed in public


	15. "why do i keep messing up"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all i actually totally forgot they're supposed to go on a movie date the day after their lunch together lmao thank goodness i hadn't made their lunch date the same day

You keep opening the oven and peeking inside at the cherry pie inside.

“If you keep doing that, you’re gonna ruin your pie,” your mother quips, hands on her hips and mouth quirked into a smile.

“Mom!” you groan, closing the oven door again and turning to look at her.

“I know, I know! I’ll make sure to leave you two alone when he gets here!” she replies with a wink before fleeing upstairs to escape your embarrassed complaints. She and Sharena really would get along well.

You heave a sigh and stare at the clock. It’s only a few minutes until noon, but you’re wondering if you finished making the spaghetti too early. You start inwardly panicking at the thought of serving Alfonse cold pasta, and the less practical side of you begins calculating how long it would take to prepare a new batch. Maybe you don’t have to cook new noodles. You could just make more sauce and put the already cooked noodles in, and the sauce would heat the noodles that way. You nod to yourself, going into the pantry to get out the spices again.

The bell rings, and you freeze, almost dropping a container of dried basil. Stumbling to put back all the ingredients, you hear your mother’s light footsteps on the stairs, silently scream, and run to the front door just in time to see your mother hug Alfonse.

“I’m fine, thanks for asking! So nice to finally meet you, Alfonse! Gosh, you’re even more handsome than Kiran said you were!” your mother gushes, ruffling his hair. You see Alfonse give a sheepish smile.

“Mom!” you positively shriek. Your ears are redder than the tomato sauce you made.

“Sorry, sorry! I’ll get out of your way now. Have fun!” your mother laughs, going back upstairs.

After five seconds of putting your face in your hands to quietly wonder how in the world to recover from this, you take a deep breath, look up at Alfonse, and smile.

“Hi, Alfonse! Thanks for coming! Um, I just finished making lunch. It’s spaghetti, is that alright? There’s also cherry pie in the oven. Oh, I hope you’re not allergic to anything. Not that it’d be your fault! It’d be mine for not asking beforehand. Do you even like spaghetti? Or cherry pie? Oh man, I really did not think this through,” you say in one breath.

Alfonse stares blankly for a moment, causing you to break out in a cold sweat. However, a smile slowly spreads across his face, and a quiet chuckle that slips out between his lips makes you go breathless.

“It’s fine, Kiran. It’s great, actually. Thank you for making lunch for me,” Alfonse says. He awkwardly lingers in the doorway. “Um, may I come in?”

You flinch. “O-Oh! Of course! Follow me! The dining table is right here,” you say, gesturing at the empty table by the kitchen. You stare at it, aghast. “Oh my god, I didn’t even set the table! I’m sorry, Alfonse, just take a seat and I’ll be done right away!” You run back to the kitchen to get placemats and utensils, and when you spin around, you bump into Alfonse.

He grabs you by the shoulders to keep you from falling backwards. “Sorry!” he says, “I, um, just wondered if you needed any help.”

“Oh, no, you’re a guest! You should just sit down!” you say hurriedly, and you try to move, but you’re still stuck in Alfonse’s grip. You stare at his arms and the glance at his face.

Alfonse blinks and lets go, his cheeks starting to turn pink. “No, I really don’t mind! It makes me feel bad to just sit while you do all the work. I’d really love to help.”

“O-Okay,” you mumble, looking down. “Then, um, could you put these on the table, please?” you say, holding up the placemats and forks.

“Of course,” Alfonse replies warmly, taking them from your hands and heading back to the dining table.

You take a deep breath, leaning against the counter for support. You’re already a mess, and you haven’t even put the food on the table yet. You prepare two plates of spaghetti and bring them out, wondering how you’re going to survive the next hour.

As you set the plates on the table and take a seat across from Alfonse, you wonder how Alfonse managed to look even more dazzling than he already does. Maybe it’s because you’ve been avoiding him these past few days. Somehow Sharena had miraculously kept your interactions with Alfonse to a minimum, and you feel like you should bake some cookies for her later.

Alfonse feels you staring at him, and he awkwardly fidgets. “Um, is something wrong, Kiran?”

“Oh, no--it’s nothing! Go ahead and eat, Alfonse! I really hope it’s not bad, haha, I mean, well, I would hope it’s good, but I don’t want to sound arrogant or anything, so as long as you can eat it, I’d be happy--well, not happy, but at least relieved--I’d be happy if you thought it was good, though, but I mean, it’s not like I did much in the first place, it’s just store bought spaghetti, and the sauce isn’t that complicated--”

“It’s good, Kiran,” Alfonse says with a smile, and the thin layer of red around his lips just makes him seem all the more charming. You see him glance around a bit, a slightly perplexed look on his face, and you suddenly jump up.

“Oh god, I forgot the napkins, too! Sorry!” you say, flustered as you run to get a stack of napkins and bring them to him.

“I-It’s okay, Kiran,” Alfonse says gently, taking a napkin and wiping his lips. Before you can leave, Alfonse grabs your wrist. “Oh, um, Kiran, can you bend down a little?”

Eyebrows furrowed, you do so. You don’t have the time to think about how close Alfonse’s face is because he promptly takes a napkin, reaches out, and dabs your nose with it.

Startled, you jump back. “W-What?” you stutter.

“Oh, you had some flour on your nose,” Alfonse explains, his voice unsteady in a way that sounds like he’s trying to hold back a laugh.

“Oh my god!” you yelp, your hands flying to your nose, even though you’re not sure what good that would do now. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?!”

“S-Sorry,” Alfonse replies, unable to bite back a smile. “Um, I guess I should also say that you’re still wearing your apron.”

You look down in horror at the words “Kiss the Cook” on your apron. You rip it off your body in a record three milliseconds before spluttering, “No--um--this is my mom’s--it was from a white elephant event at her work--uh, since it fits me it’d be a waste to buy a separate one for me, so I just--um--anyway! I’m gonna go check on the pie! I made it from scratch, so, um, I really want it to turn out well!”

After fleeing to the kitchen, you squat down and press your face into your knees, letting out a quiet scream. You start wondering if this is all a mistake, so you visualize Sharena’s upset face to give you the strength not to chicken out. You take three slow breaths and take out the now ready pie from the oven, setting it on the counter to cool.

You return to your seat across from Alfonse, and the two of you eat spaghetti in silence for several minutes. You’ve probably used more napkins to wipe your sweat than to wipe your mouth. You’re not sure how to approach this. Do you confess now? Or after you finish eating? Before or after dessert? How do you even start that conversation?

“Um, Kiran.”

“Y-Yes?” you say, startled out of your thoughts.

Alfonse sets down his fork next to his now empty plate and wipes his mouth. His serious expression makes you nervous.

“Um, well”--he lets out an awkward laugh--“I just wanted to, er, be honest with you.” His hands are under the table in his lap, but you imagine he’s playing with his fingers, and that just makes you more anxious. “I, um, didn’t exactly have pure intentions when I offered to tutor you.”

Your eyes widen, and a million thoughts fly through your head, but before you can actually follow any train of thought, he continues, “You see, I, um, don’t really make friends easily. And Sharena was worried that when I went off to college, I’d be lonely since she wouldn’t be there with me. So I thought, maybe if I helped you, you could be my friend, and that would prove that I’m getting better at making friends, and Sharena wouldn’t worry anymore.”

Your pounding heart slows down, and you can’t help reprimanding yourself for getting your hopes up. What hopes? Best not to think about it.

“So, um, I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t offer to tutor you solely out of the kindness of my heart. I’m sorry for misleading you,” Alfonse says quietly.

You’re so flustered that a confused laugh bursts out of you, making Alfonse frown in bewilderment.

“S-Sorry, that’s just so…” You take a moment to stop giggling. “I would say those kinds of intentions are still pretty pure,” you joke.

Alfonse blushes, the crinkle between his eyebrows deepening. “Th-That’s not all, though, Kiran.” He coughs. “You see, well, at first I was a bit reluctant to be your friend. I had made the choice on a whim, and I wasn’t sure whether I’d regret it. But the more I got to know you, the more...you charmed me. Your earnestness in the things you do is so...enchanting.” His ears redden, as do yours. “And your awkward kindness is so endearing. The more time I spent with you, the more I realized...I don’t want to be your friend.”

You blink, your mouth slightly gaping. “W-Wait, Alfonse--”

“Um, what I’m trying to say is, well, I like you. Kiran, I really like you. Would you please go out with me?”

Alfonse looks as if he’s going to melt, and you feel like you’ve already turned into a puddle. Your mind is a mess, and you try to organize your thoughts enough to say yes in an eloquent manner matching the level of Alfonse’s confession.

Instead, though, you blurt out a clumsy, “That was supposed to be my line!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: save orbs for l'ephraim and possible additional bride banner in june  
> me @ me: get merges on s!sharena and bunfonse
> 
> anyway this chapter stressed me the heck out lol how do you even write confession scenes??  
> i also did a lot of unnecessary research like "tomato sauce" and "apron" and "foods to bake" LOL i spent a long time deciding what kiran should make and what kind of pie it should be (insert silly tying-cherry-stem-with-tongue joke here)  
> i would also like to announce that i've successfully pulled 2 s!sharenas and 1 bunfonse and i'm like staring at my 5 orbs and the easter banner like "DARE I??" bc i don't wanna test my luck but also...it's alfonse

**Author's Note:**

> i haven't really thought this out so chances are this is going to turn out to be rather nonsensical lol i apologize in advance but i hope you get some sort of enjoyment from this (i felt really pretentious writing in second person pov!! but i felt like it suited kiran, so!! idk man!!)


End file.
